The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-11-26

ko and report to this Assembly. Adopted.
CHINESE PASSPORTS.
Minister Green replied to the question OF
Noble Smith respecting the passports OF the
Chinese bv the Belgic. He read letter
from the Collector General, stating that the
said passports were investigated by the
Port Surveyor, November 9th. Each man
was asked his name, to see If it CORE
sponded with that on the passport. A
number of the Chinese answered IN Ha-
waiian. All answers were satisfactory, ana
each passport bore the seal of the Foreign
Office and the wise of the Consul-General OF
this Kingdom at Hongkong.
The reply was laid on the table, to be
taken ND with the Chinese Immigration
Bill
THE JUDICIARY.
Noble Smith presented a resolution to the
effect that an address be presented to his
Majesty, asking him to appoint Royal
Commission of three suitable persons with
view to making the Judiciary Department
of the Kingdom more efficient than 1t at
nresentis Referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee.
Noble Castle presented the following re-
port:
Hon. S. G. Wilder, President Legisla-
tive Assembly-Sir: The Committee on
Foreign Relations, to which was referred
petition from Mr.. Henry Poor, together
with a statement from the Minister OF
Foreign Affairs on Samoan matters,
respectfully report:
That they have taken evidence upon the
matter set forth in said petition and find
as matter of fact: That said Henry Poor
was during the latter part OF last year en-
ploved as clerk in the Postal Savings Bank
| in Honolulu, at salary of 5000 per month.
That in December of said year the late
| Government resolved to send an Embassy
| to Samoa and TO the various islands of the
| Pacific, and selected Mr.. Poor as Secretary
| of Legation. For his services he was to re-
| ceiye during his absence the salary OF $500
J per month"; and it was arranged, upon the
] order of the Minister of the Interior, that
| he should have a six months vacation
with half pay during that time. This was
! to cover half the salary and the other was
TO be paid by the Foreign Department. 1t
! will be observed that by this convenient
little arrangement the Bureau of the Post
| Office was to be compelled to contribute to
the eccentricities of the Foreign Depart
ment The Embassy took more time than
| was originally expected, and in June 1887
letter was forwarded recalling Mr.. Bush,
and placing the affairs of the Legation
under Mr.. POor's charge. There was no
| change made IN his salary. He returned
to Honolulu about the last of August 1887
| upon the order of the Minister of Foreign
| Affairs At the end of June the Post Of
flee very properly discontinued paying Mr..
| Poor his half-pay, and it is for 5000 for the
months of July and August that the claim
| is made, besides a small balance due on ac
count of loss by exchange, which amount
| is allowed by the Minister of Foreign AT
| fairs.
The question seems to be whether the
claim is a just one. 1t is urged by the
| Minister of Foreign Affairs that Mr.. Poor
should account for certain moneys paid out
by him without authority while at Samoa.
Mr.. Poor was engaged at a salary of 1890
per month and was absent eight months.
| He has received 81, 40C-$800 from the Tor
eign Department and 5000 from the Post
Office If he is entitled to any more it
should come from the Department of For
| eign Affairs This led the committee into
an examination of the Samoan Mission.
The whole pitiful story is summarized by
the statement of the Minister of Foreign
Affairs. We have expended over SIT 900,
and in return therefor have useless and
possibly cumbersome treaty with the de-
posed Maietoa. This Mission in some
respects might have operated as an exposi-
ton to the islands to the south of us-of
the value of a Christian civilization, and
insOmuCh have done some good. In place
thereof the drunken revels and excuses of
| the legation hesitatingly and unwillingly
testified to before the committee, must for
ever stamp this venture of the little King
dom of Hawaii with disgrace. Well might
the Chief Malietoa demonstrate with the
Hawaiian ambassador for his conduct
Well might the people of Samoa look with
suspicion upon a civilization which could
produce such a RESULT 1t is but Just to
Mr.. Poor to say that this condition of af-
fairs preceded his assumption of control.
1t is also true that while he acted as the
cashier of the Legation his payments were
made upon the orders of his superior Off
~ it was not made clear to your
that in any case payments GER
hOrized were made by Mr.
Poor. he whole matter the com
mittee Therefore recommend that the
amount claimed by Mr.. Poor be allowed
and paid to him from the Foreign Office
and with this they nope that the whole af
fair may be buried in oblivion
w. r. CASTLE,
GEO. H. DOLE,
D. H. HITCHCOCK,
Jos. u. KAwAINUI,
H. P. BALDWIN
The report was adopted.